In connection with Revelation 12, we have examined the topic “The Fall of Satan” (in Part Five). The emphasis in this article will be upon the specific terminology, “the binding and loosing of Satan.” As noted previously, the New Testament stresses Christ’s victory over Satan at His crucifixion and resurrection and even in His earlier actions in connection with His casting out demons during His public ministry, at which time He “bound the strong man” (Matthew 12:22-30; Mark 3:22-27).
The idea of Satan being “bound” during the church age will be further developed in what follows in several ways: (1) key New Testament texts that emphasize Christ’s victory over Satan (Hebrews 2:14-18; 1 John 3:8; Matthew 12:22-30; Mark 3:22-27); (2) ancient Jewish references to the “binding of Satan” derived from Old Testament accounts as demonstrations of God’s power over the evil one; and (3) possible connections with the famous Roman Triumph, the grand celebration in which captive enemy leaders were imprisoned (and bound) awaiting eventual humiliation and execution that would unfold after their being released from prison and then paraded through the streets of Rome.
The Binding of Satan in the New Testament
Regarding (1) above, Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 John 3:8 stand out along with texts in the Gospels where Jesus describes his victories over Satan’s demons as “binding the strong man” (Matthew 12:22-30; Mark 3:22-27). The passages in Matthew and Mark show the same Greek word (deō) for “bind” regarding Jesus “binding” the “strong man”—the devil—that we find in Revelation 20:2.
The “binding of Satan,” according to the amillennial approach, is a present reality. Through Christ’s victorious resurrection over death, and through the subsequent preaching of the gospel, Satan in a real sense is “bound.” This “binding” need not be absolute but could convey the notion of limitation. Various scriptures show the idea that Christ’s victory over Satan has already taken place: Genesis 3:15; Hebrews 2:14-15; 1 John 3:8; Luke 10:17-18; John 12:31-32; Matthew 12:29; Mark 3:27.
For example, Hebrews 2:14-15, in speaking of Christ’s first coming, says, “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery” (ESV).
Similarly, 1 John 3:8 reads, “Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (ESV).
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
Note the past tense in both texts. Jesus partook of flesh and blood and through death destroyed the destroyer. The Son of God appeared in order to destroy the works of the devil. In a very real sense then, Satan is now “destroyed”; his work is now “destroyed” (or “rendered powerless”). Both texts speak to the fact of the devil’s certain doom. Satan’s final, total destruction is yet in the future but, as Revelation states it, he is now “bound,” limited in a real sense.
According to Revelation 20:3, Satan’s binding was “so that he might not deceive the nations any longer.” Hebrews 2:15 may shed light here when it states that Christ’s purpose through His death and resurrection was that He might “deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”
Hopelessness in the face of the harsh reality of death is one of Satan’s deceptions that no longer holds sway when confronted with the truth of the gospel. The great lie has been exposed, the falsehood promulgated by the one who has been a liar and deceiver from the beginning. Christian hope extends beyond the grave! Death will be destroyed forever through Christ’s resurrection power (1 Corinthians 15:20-26). The deceiver’s influence has been reduced for those washed in the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11), death’s veil has been “swallowed up” (Isaiah 25:7-8), and the nations now stream to “the mountain of the house of the Lord” (Isaiah 2:2).
“The deceiver’s influence has been reduced for those washed in the blood of the Lamb.”
Some point to the sinful condition of our fallen world and ask how Satan could possibly be “bound” today. For them, the painful evidence shouts otherwise. In response, we can point to texts like Hebrews 2:14-15 and 1 John 3:8 above. How have the devil’s works been “destroyed” by Christ’s first coming? How did Jesus, by becoming human, destroy the one who had the power of death, Satan himself? If these verses from the rest of the New Testament can ring true, why cannot verses proclaiming the “binding of Satan” as a present reality, verses found in a highly symbolic apocalyptic work, also represent a spiritual truism?
The imagery of the great dragon as a defeated accuser of God’s people cast from heaven to earth in Revelation 12 has morphed into that of a great dragon imprisoned and bound as a defeated deceiver of the nations in Revelation 20. The devil’s great wrath and his status as defeated foe coexist today, even as followers of the Lamb can conquer Satan through their testimony and yet in the process may in fact experience martyrdom (Revelation 12:11).
“If these verses from the rest of the New Testament can ring true, why cannot verses proclaiming the “binding of Satan” as a present reality, verses found in a highly symbolic apocalyptic work, also represent a spiritual truism?”
Through Revelation’s vivid, symbolic language, John reminds a beleaguered church concerning the victory that is theirs and the defeat that is Satan’s. It is a powerful reminder that helps brighten the bleak landscape of tribulation and persecution that blankets much of the book. It is also a message that resonates elsewhere in the New Testament: “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4, ESV). Even when the devil is described as roaming around like a roaring lion “seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8, ESV), the accompanying promise is that those who faithfully resist will, after suffering a little while, enter into eternal glory (1 Peter 5:10).
Paul explained to King Herod Agrippa II that God had sent him to open the eyes of the Gentiles (or “nations,” Greek ethnē) “so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins…” (Acts 26:17-18, ESV). Through the gospel, the binding of Satan’s power, his deception, was now in progress. This spread of the gospel may have been incremental and not effectual for all, but this gospel was nonetheless powerful—in Paul’s words, “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16, ESV).
“Through the gospel, the binding of Satan’s power, his deception, was now in progress.”
Yes, the power of deception still played its role in Satan’s schemes. Yes, the false prophet deceived many to worship the beast, resulting in their demise (Revelation 3:11-14; 14:11; 19:20-21). And yes, Satan is called “the deceiver of the whole world” in connection with his being cast down to earth from heaven (Revelation 12:10). And yet….
Removed from access to the heavenly throne, Satan’s power to accuse is held in check and he is conquered by the blood of the Lamb and by the testimony of believers, some of whom are slain for their faithful word (Revelation 12:7-11). The bound Satan will eventually be released from prison, not in triumph, but in utter defeat. He and the wicked he has influenced—those deceived from the nations, all not found recorded in “the book of life”—will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:9-12). This is the result of a so-called “battle” that will be fought, a battle that actually serves as a metaphor for judgment. There is no literal final battle. We must not forget that.
John’s mention of the nations (or Gentiles) here dovetails with Paul’s emphasis upon the gospel’s power and reach. Through the message of the cross, the nations now have opportunity to respond to the grace of God in a new and vibrant way. With a touch of hyperbole, Paul could claim to believers in close contact with Revelation’s (eventual?) “Seven Churches of Asia” that in his own time the gospel was bearing fruit “in the whole world” (Colossians 1:6) and had been proclaimed “in all creation under heaven” (Colossians 1:23). The devil’s realm of influence was under attack! We will encounter below popular ancient Jewish parallels to the Bible’s notion of Satan being “bound,” limited in his power and effectiveness.
Premillennial Problems
Contrary to what some might assume, premillennialists have problems themselves in dealing with the binding of Satan. In the premillennial understanding of the events during the millennium, many millions will reject Christ’s reign (particularly those allegedly born during the millennium!), even though His visible presence will result in unimaginable blessings for all. Hordes of “closet rebels” will be chafing at the bit, and Satan’s release will be a welcome development in their desire to throw off Christ’s shackles. Amazingly, “their number is like the sand of the sea” (Revelation 20:8).
According to Revelation 20:3, Satan’s binding was so that he might not “deceive the nations.” And yet millions are deceived in the premillennial version of things! A common premillennial stance is that universal peace will be accomplished during the millennium by Christ’s immediate destruction of any openly rebellious “kingdom citizens.” The wicked must keep it to themselves!
Apparently, Satan’s being “bound” does not stop countless people all over the world from ultimately rejecting Christ’s millennial reign. How is that possible? The ugly picture that accompanies any premillennial understanding of a future millennium on earth is exposed by Arthur H. Lewis, The Dark Side of the Millennium: The Problem of Evil in Rev. 20:1-10 (1980).
As previously noted, there is rather remarkable agreement between the amillennial understanding of Satan’s status in the present age and that of numerous historic premillennialists. Satan was defeated at the cross, his power is diminished, Christ and those in His church do reign right now. But according to the standard view of premillennialism, these facts are not an adequate explanation for what Revelation 20 says. Satan has not yet been bound in the way Revelation describes. For premillennial interpreters, an additional thousand years on earth must still follow.
“According to Revelation 20:3, Satan’s binding was so that he might not ‘deceive the nations.’ And yet millions are deceived in the premillennial version of things!”
The Binding and Loosing of Satan in Ancient Jewish Literature
Regarding (2) above, there is much discussion and debate about the various names and roles of Satan found in ancient Jewish literature. Some of that discussion actually involves the imagery of Satan being “bound.”
In the Old Testament itself we find, along with the designation Satan, the name Belial (sixteen times; also in Paul’s writings: 2 Corinthians 6:15) and, of course, the serpent of Genesis 3. In the Gospels, the name Beelzebul (“Lord Prince” or “Baal the Prince”) is found as a designation for the devil (seven times).
In extra-biblical Jewish texts, the identifications and functions of the head of the demonic world were multiplied. Names such as Samael and Azazel, along with Satan and Belial, can be found. In the book of Jubilees, stemming from the second/first century B.C., we see the name Mastema, a word that is linguistically connected to the Hebrew term Satan (“adversary”), but is only found twice in the Old Testament, there as a noun signifying “hatred” (Hosea 9:7, 8).
The relative absence of extra-biblical Jewish terms and entities throughout the book of Revelation is rather remarkable. Revelation leans heavily upon the fabric and framework of the Old Testament world, not upon the realm of later Jewish thought. (The recent work edited by Blackwell, Goodrich, and Maston seeks to highlight connections between Revelation and Jewish literature from the same general time period: Reading Revelation in Context [2019]. Such connections have often proved to be complex and ambiguous.) One possible connection with Jewish literature does involve the “binding of Satan” theme as presented in the book of Jubilees.
“One possible connection with Jewish literature does involve the ‘binding of Satan’ theme as presented in the book of Jubilees.”
It should be noted here that Jubilees was apparently a popular book within first-century Judaism. We find evidence among the Dead Sea Scrolls of more than ten copies of Jubilees, all represented in fragments. Jubilees was originally written in Hebrew, copied into Greek, and then the Greek text was translated into Ethiopic, the ancient Semitic language from Ethiopia also known as Gecez. Our only complete copy of Jubilees is in Ethiopic.
Jubilees shares a number of features with an even more popular intertestamental Jewish work, the book of Enoch, including references to fallen angels who have relations with human women, angels known in both Enoch and Jubilees as the “Watchers.” (The “sons of God” in Genesis who take human women as they please are often viewed as fallen angels, especially in ancient sources, but they could also refer to evil human dynastic rulers, “the great men of old” [Genesis 6:1-4]. “Great” in power and influence. Immediately following this text in Genesis, we read that God saw man’s wickedness and determined to blot him out [Genesis 6:5-7]. This could suggest that the aforementioned “sons of God” in Genesis were wicked humans, not fallen angels.)
The role of Mastema in Jubilees mirrors and expands that of Satan in the Old Testament. Just as Satan counseled God to test the integrity of Job, so Mastema counseled God to test Abraham in connection with offering up his son Isaac (Jubilees 17:15-16). It was then Mastema who aided the Egyptian priests in their attempts to oppose Moses, and it was Mastema whose powers were connected with the deaths of the firstborn of Egypt.
“The role of Mastema in Jubilees mirrors and expands that of Satan in the Old Testament.”
The book of Jubilees covers Genesis 1–Exodus 12 and embellishes Satan’s (Mastema’s) role in the events of Israelite history. Important for our discussion here is the repeated use in Jubilees of the expression “bind” or “bound” in reference to God’s limitation placed upon Mastema and his hosts.
The following texts in Jubilees mention the binding or loosing of Mastema and his demonic forces: Jubilees 10:5-7; 18:2; 48:13-16; and 49:2. Noah’s prayer in Jubilees asked God to “imprison” the evil spirits descended from the “Watchers” and to hold them fast in the place of condemnation so they would not bring destruction upon mankind (Jubilees 10:5). If imprisoned, they would not be able to rule over the spirits of the living and they would not have power over the sons of the righteous (Jubilees 10:6).
Note the ominous warning offered regarding these powerful demonic forces: if not imprisoned, they would have domination over mankind, including the righteous. There seems to be no middle ground. In regard to Mastema’s accusations resulting in the testing of Abraham in connection with his son Isaac, an angel intervened and told Abraham not to kill his son and, as a result, “Prince Mastema was put to shame (and was bound by the angels)” (Jubilees 18:12). Here, the defeat of Mastema is referred to as a “binding.”
“Here, the defeat of Mastema is referred to as a ‘binding.'”
Concerning Mastema’s role in connection with Israel’s struggles in leaving Egypt, we read,
“On the fourteenth day and on the fifteenth and on the sixteenth and on the seventeenth and on the eighteenth days, Prince Mastema was bound and imprisoned and placed behind the children of Israel so that he might not accuse them. On the nineteenth day we let them (Mastema and his demons) loose so that they might help the Egyptians pursue the children of Israel….On the fourteenth day we bound him that he might not accuse the children of Israel on the day when they asked the Egyptians for vessels and garments….”[1]
A number of times we find that the metaphor of “binding” is employed. Significantly, Mastema’s inability or ability to accuse Israel or to help the Egyptians pursue Israel is described as his being “bound” and/or “imprisoned” on one hand, and being “loosed” on the other. When Mastema is free or “loosed,” he has the power to kill the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Jubilees 49:2).
We acknowledge the sizeable differences between the inspired book of Revelation and the fanciful, imaginative expansion of biblical revelation found in the book of Jubilees. And yet the literary parallels are instructive. Noteworthy is the emphasis in Jubilees upon the imagery of “binding” and “loosing” in connection with God’s power over the forces of evil, highlighted in the references to Mastema. Also of note, when Mastema (Satan) is bound and imprisoned, he is unable to accuse God’s people. He wields no power over them. When he and his forces are “loosed,” havoc ensues.
“When Mastema (Satan) is bound and imprisoned, he is unable to accuse God’s people.”
Sounds a bit like Revelation 20. Once Satan is “bound” and “imprisoned,” he is unable to deceive the nations (Revelation 20:3). Of course, in Revelation Satan is not only the “deceiver” (Revelation 12:9; 20:3, 8, 10), but also the “accuser” (Revelation 12:10). In Jubilees, the “binding” and “loosing” of Mastema represent an ongoing, fluid theme, oft repeated. In Revelation, in contrast, Satan’s role as accuser and deceiver are forever diminished through Christ’s once-for-all redemptive sacrifice and subsequent resurrection. Hallelujah!
The differences between Jubilees and Revelation are striking, to be sure, and yet the popularity of Jubilees and its teachings may likely have found awareness and even familiarity from Revelation’s initial (probably mostly Jewish Christian) audience, if not from later readers. If terms like binding, loosing, and imprisoning applied to the spiritual realm are not given the latitude generally offered for symbolic, metaphoric language, then our prospects for a meaningful interpretation of the text of Revelation may be hindered.
In addition, comparisons with ancient books like Jubilees may help the modern reader better navigate a book like Revelation, one rich in ancient Hebrew imagery and contemporary with several well-known Jewish apocalyptic works. Students of prophecy who insist that Satan cannot be viewed as “bound” today in light of his destructive influence throughout the world might want to reconsider their reasoning.
“If terms like binding, loosing, and imprisoning applied to the spiritual realm are not given the latitude generally offered for symbolic, metaphoric language, then our prospects for a meaningful interpretation of the text of Revelation may be hindered.”
That insistence seems to undermine Scripture’s teaching on Christ’s victory over Satan as a fait accompli. The battle is won (“already”). The devil now awaits his final (“not yet”) defeat as a bound prisoner. Parallel imagery found in ancient Jewish literature like Jubilees would seem to be instructive here in offering strikingly similar language regarding Satan (or Mastema), the accuser and deceiver who is “bound” or “loosed” at God’s directive, according to His power and purposes.
The “Little Season”
Trying to fit in the events of Revelation 20:7-10 is a challenge for all. The text seems to describe a final Satan-led rebellion that ends in the defeat or destruction of the devil and his devotees. But how does this fit in with what has already been told? The close of Revelation’s “cosmic drama” in Revelation 12-20 is controversial and challenging to interpreters. Revelation 20:7-10 reads,
“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:7-10 ESV)
“Trying to fit in the events of Revelation 20:7-10 is a challenge for all.”
A “little season” (“little while,” ESV) is described as a necessary time following the thousand years during which Satan has been bound (Revelation 20:3). The interpretation of this time period can go in several directions. Taking this as a dramatic vision and not a chronological documentary, one could argue that the loosing of Satan is primarily a literary device. He is loosed in anticipation of his demise. Despite Satan’s final, desperate efforts, he and his followers are destroyed while God’s beloved are completely unharmed, those described as “the camp of the saints and the beloved city” (Revelation 20:9). The description of a final battle here is, as elsewhere in Revelation, not a picture of a battle at all, but rather of divine judgment.
The “little while” here is not the same time period as the “short time” of Revelation 12:12. The latter expression likely pointed to the duration of Satan’s opportunity during the church age to tempt and destroy the “woman and her offspring” (the church), expressed as a time of tribulation and divine protection lasting “1,260 days” or a “time, times and half a time” (both = “forty-two months” or three-and-a-half years). The approach here was covered earlier regarding symbolic numbers in Revelation.
The amassing of an ungodly horde following a supposed millennium during which Christ reigns in glory over the earth on a throne in Jerusalem is a problem for the premillennial view and diminishes the likelihood of that view. The notion common among premillennialists that the purpose of the millennium is to demonstrate once and for all the full extent of mankind’s evil ways has little merit. Several decades into the twenty-first century do we really need any more proof of the pervasive presence of sin in the world?
“The description of a final battle here is, as elsewhere in Revelation, not a picture of a battle at all, but rather of divine judgment.”
The massive march over the face of the earth results in the surrounding of “the beloved city” and “the camp of the saints,” designations that seem to point to a spiritual reality, the church, rather than a physical city. Again there is no battle; instead fire comes down from heaven, consuming the wicked (Revelation 20:9).
Rather than being a second of two separate “Gog and Magog” encounters as premillennialism would seem to require, this destruction of the wicked at Revelation 20:9 mirrors that at Revelation 19:21 where, in connection with the beast and the false prophet being thrown into the lake of fire, all who follow them are slain by the sword coming out of Christ’s mouth at His second coming. At Revelation 20:9, the evil combatants are simply consumed by fire. Both of the descriptions in Revelation 19-20 portray the outcome of that which is anticipated in Revelation 16 where these forces are “assembled at Armageddon” for the final conflict (Revelation 16:16).
Satan is depicted as a relentless foe on the offense even unto the bitter end, although it is clear that his fate is sealed. Perhaps it is significant that he is not depicted as a helpless captive hurled into a fiery lake, but rather as an active opponent of God and His righteous followers. As with the beast and the false prophet, Satan’s doom occurs in connection with his aggressive opposition to God.
“Satan is depicted as a relentless foe on the offense even unto the bitter end, although it is clear that his fate is sealed.”
Translations differ in how they express the timing of the casting of the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire in conjunction with the casting of Satan himself into that lake. Again, I would argue that the mention of Satan’s doom last is for literary and dramatic effect as part of a chiasm (A:B::B:A; a “mirror image”) and not so much as a chronological indicator. In Revelation’s cosmic drama Satan, the great dragon, is introduced first (Revelation 12) followed by the beast and the false prophet (Revelation 13). At the end, the beast and the false prophet are cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 19) and that description is followed by the description of Satan’s destruction in the lake of fire (Revelation 20).
In the premillennial system, the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire a full thousand years before Satan is. But is that what Revelation actually teaches? Is their doom basically simultaneous with that of their leader Satan or are the two already in the lake of fire for a lengthy time before Satan joins them?
A comparison of translations at Revelation 20:10 shows a variety of treatments regarding the sequence: “where the beast and the false prophet were” (ESV); “where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown” (NIV); “where the beast and the false prophet are too” (NET); “where the beast and the false prophet are also” (NAS); “where the beast and the false prophet are” (KJV). What is the issue here?
“In the premillennial system, the beast and the false prophet are thrown into the lake of fire a full thousand years before Satan is. But is that what Revelation actually teaches?”
If the events of Revelation 19 precede those of Revelation 20 by a significant period of time, then the beast and the false prophet are already in the lake of fire and Satan eventually joins them. If Revelation 19 and Revelation 20, both are describing the same second coming, however, then the casting into the lake of fire of the beast and false prophet is basically simultaneous with that of Satan.
How does the Greek read? What is the tense of the Greek verb at 20:10? The answer is that there is no Greek verb! Often in the Greek New Testament, the verb “to be” in its various forms can simply be understood (represented in English by “is, are, was, were,” etc.). Therefore in such a case, contextually-based theology, not grammar, must decide the issue. Both ESV and especially NIV suggest a chronological sequence in which the beast and the false prophet were already in the lake of fire. Such a translation choice would seem to favor a premillennial approach. NET, NAS, and KJV, however, put the verb in the present tense, therefore “are,” not “were.” This allows the amillennial understanding that Satan, in the unfolding of Revelation’s scenes, joins the beast and the false prophet whose demise has already been described, but he does not necessarily chronologically follow them in their fate.
“If Revelation 19 and Revelation 20 both are describing the same second coming, however, then the casting into the lake of fire of the beast and false prophet is basically simultaneous with that of Satan.”
I would suggest that we have the same event described from two vantage points. By our approaching the scenes in Revelation as often complementary, and not necessarily chronological, we can appreciate that the combination of visions and explanations brings into vivid focus the realities being described. The book itself offers numerous indicators that the scenes often are not in chronological sequence (e.g., Christ’s birth and ascension to heaven halfway through the book at Revelation 12). Repetition and recapitulation are strategies employed to convey the book’s message.
The events of Revelation 20:7-10 have yielded numerous approaches from various directions. Many interpreters envision an outbreak of evil at the end of the millennium, i.e., at the end of the church age or, for others, at the end of Christ’s thousand year reign in Jerusalem, and connect the “little season” of Revelation 20:3, 7-10 with it. Paul’s writings to the Thessalonians and to Timothy are often used in support for the notion of a major latter-days apostasy. Such assumptions are questionable. I have previously discussed the coming of the “man of lawlessness” found in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. This figure may not represent a last-days representative of evil or persecution as many assume. Open to debate as well are Paul’s words in 1 and 2 Timothy where Paul warned Timothy about “last-days” or “latter-days” apostates who introduce false teaching. These passages are perhaps given more weight than they deserve and are often identified with a more distant situation than Paul maybe was describing. Regarding such “last-days” evildoers, Paul warns Timothy to avoid such people (2 Timothy 3:5). One might therefore surmise that such individuals had already arrived!
“Regarding such ‘last-days’ evildoers, Paul warns Timothy to avoid such people.”
Paul states that “the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith,” a departure involving false teaching and devotion to the teachings of demons. Abstinence from marriage and adherence to certain dietary regulations would be involved (1 Timothy 4:1-3). This sounds both like the Gnostic heresy that threatened the early church and like other early deviations that have continued throughout history, and not necessarily strictly end-times developments.
While we are on the subject of what the Bible does not (or certainly may not) say, we should note that much of Revelation 6-18 is not about “end-times tribulation” poured out upon believers through Satan’s machinations but rather about end-times (second coming) wrath poured out upon unbelievers by God. In contrast, the “great tribulation” mentioned in Revelation 7:14 does relate to what Christ followers have experienced and continue to experience throughout the church age.
“Much of Revelation 6-18 is not about ‘end-times tribulation’ poured out upon believers through Satan’s machinations but rather about end-times (second coming) wrath poured out upon unbelievers by God.”
At the end of the day, interpreters are left with several less-than-satisfying solutions as to what is involved in the “little season” at Revelation 20:3. It might be best simply to regard the description in Revelation 20:7-10 as a figurative, symbolic reenactment of what Revelation has already described: Christ’s triumphant return and the doom of His enemies. The use of “Gog and Magog” imagery lends credence to that. Just as the Old Testament prophets described the final confrontation between God and His enemies with battle terminology, so does John (the “new Ezekiel”) in Revelation. As in Ezekiel, in Revelation fire from heaven destroys God’s foes (Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6; Revelation 20:8-9) even as they are gathered for battle and are defeated (Ezekiel 38;21; 39:3-4; Revelation 19:17-19, 21; 20:8-9). Less satisfactory, in my view, is the notion that a further alleged “end-times” tribulation is now announced, a brief time closing out or following the inaugurated millennial kingdom (the church age) during which Satan’s powers hold sway. There is one other intriguing possibility that should be explored.
Satan Released Yet Still Bound: God’s Triumphal Procession?
Since compelling treatments of Revelation 20:7-10 are few and far between, perhaps we should look in a different direction, one that recognizes the so-called “already and not yet” aspects of Satan’s defeat and the feature of recapitulation as it relates to the imagery of Revelation 20. Also potentially important in the equation are the socio-political as well as religious phenomena at the forefront at the end of the first century A.D.
In his valuable treatments of this controversial passage, Shane Wood has presented an intriguing paradigm that deserves consideration. See his The Alter-Imperial Paradigm: Empire Studies and the Book of Revelation (2016); also “An Anti-Imperial Reading of the Release of Satan (Revelation 20:7-10),” 181-191, in Dragons, John, and Every Grain of Sand: Essays on the Book of Revelation in Honor of Dr. Robert Lowery, Shane J. Wood, ed. (2011).
Wood sees great importance in the fact that, following his imprisonment, Satan is said to be released but not unbound. Key to his discussion is the existence of the highly significant phenomenon during the Roman Empire (and earlier Republic) known as the Roman Triumph. Commanders victorious in Rome’s military conflicts were often given a “triumph” in honor of their achievements. More than three hundred such triumphs are recorded regarding ancient Rome.
“Commanders victorious in Rome’s military conflicts were often given a ‘triumph’ in honor of their achievements.”
The most extensive, detailed description of the Roman Triumph from antiquity is found in the Jewish War by Josephus, a description of the triumph celebrated in Rome following the A.D. 70 destruction of Jerusalem (War 7.116-157). Perhaps the closest thing for American sensitivities regarding the grandeur of the event would be Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade or perhaps Mardi Gras or a Super Bowl celebration (sans the violence and bloodshed of the ancient Roman event).
Josephus describes the extravagant display of massive floats, the parade of wartime prisoners, and the opulent and often exotic displays of the spoils of war, complete with elaborate reconstructions of relevant fortifications and topographical features along with reenactments of the glorious accomplishments of the victorious Roman legionary forces. The most impressive prisoners were commandeered for the roles of defeated, doomed foes. Roman soldiers marched in triumph to the crowd’s delight. Still seen today on the Arch of Titus in Rome is a depiction of treasures being carted off from Jerusalem, including the temple’s golden menorah.
As with other triumphs, the one Josephus described ended with the execution of various prisoners and particularly the enemy leader. The Jewish general Simon bar Giora was viewed by the Romans as the key military leader in Jerusalem’s rebellion and was accordingly executed at the conclusion of the parade to the gleeful shouts of Rome’s onlookers. (The despotic Jewish rebel leader John of Gischala, who was instead only exiled by Rome, played a larger role in the earlier stages of Jerusalem’s revolt.)
“Josephus describes the extravagant display of massive floats, the parade of wartime prisoners, and the opulent and often exotic displays of the spoils of war.”
Most prisoners who were not executed were sent to slave camps. Each Roman Triumph signaled the incomparable power and influence of the Roman Empire and its leaders. The Pax Romana (“Roman Peace”) was repeatedly propped up through violent exercises of military domination.
In anticipation of a triumph, the defeated enemy leader was chained and incarcerated awaiting his eventual execution, the official culmination of the Roman victory. Such an imprisonment could last for months or even years. The celebrated execution of the chief enemy was a highlight in the minds of the Roman conquerors and the unfortunate death or, at times, suicide of such a leader before the triumph was deeply regretted. Octavian (Augustus) had a mannequin representing Cleopatra made to be exhibited during his triumph since she had committed suicide. 
Also relevant to note is that Domitian, the emperor when Revelation likely was penned, participated in the triumph Josephus describes that followed the Jewish Revolt. He rode on a single white horse accompanying Vespasian and Titus, his father and brother, as they rode in a quadriga, a splendid four-horse chariot that became standard equipment for those honored in such triumphs.
In addition to the general familiarity with the Roman Triumph for early Christians in the empire, we might note the likelihood that a copy of Josephus’ Jewish War, written circa A.D. 75, would have been available in the library in Ephesus and/or in libraries of other cities of Roman Asia. The library at Pergamum was said to be second only to that in Alexandria. Previously Paul himself had used imagery from the Roman Triumph in his powerful metaphor involving following Christ in “triumphal procession” as a prisoner, triumphant even in the face of death (2 Corinthians 2:14-16).
“Domitian, the emperor when Revelation likely was penned, participated in the triumph Josephus describes that followed the Jewish Revolt.”
A key feature of the Roman Triumph was the reenactment of the victorious military campaign. Wood suggests that John’s description of Satan’s release from prison describes God’s triumph, part of which is the final destruction of the enemy leader, Satan himself. Wood emphasizes the fact that Revelation describes Satan as being released from prison but not being unchained or unbound.
In view of his remaining “bound,” Satan’s “leading his army,” then, may not be the initiating of a new confrontation but merely the reenactment and final resolution of the old one, a confrontation in which the devil had already been defeated—cast out of heaven and down to earth and then cast into the bottomless pit in chains awaiting his destruction (Revelation 12:7-12; 20:1-3, 9-10). Satan’s release from prison will therefore pave the way for his taking center stage one last time, not for a dramatic comeback but for his total demise such as those humiliations that took center stage in the typical Roman Triumph when defeated, bound enemy leaders were paraded to their execution.
As one might expect from John in his frequent employment of Old Testament imagery, and especially that of Ezekiel, the final conflict between the forces of evil and the people of God is described in two ways in Revelation 19-20, both mirroring those offered in Ezekiel 38–39. The slain in battle from the forces of “Gog and Magog” are consumed by wild animals and birds of prey (Ezekiel 39:4-5; Revelation 19:17-21; 20:8), as well as by torrents of fire (Ezekiel 38:22; 39:6; Revelation 20:9). John was fully comfortable with figurative imagery from the distant past as well as from contemporary events and entities.
“John was fully comfortable with figurative imagery from the distant past as well as from contemporary events and entities.”
The ancient “open-air” altar at the temple of Domitian in Ephesus, viewable in the museum of Ephesus today, depicts imagery of a triumph, including the scene of two figures, a Roman soldier raising his weapon and looking down upon another figure: a bound captive sitting down awaiting execution.[2] For Christians in Ephesus near the end of the first century, this prominently located altar and its artwork may have been a familiar sight.
More significant still was their familiarity with the ongoing political and cultural imprint of the Roman Triumph upon Roman society. Once the church’s chief enemy is described in Revelation as bound and imprisoned, John’s initial audience could have easily connected the dots regarding Revelation’s message: Satan, already defeated and bound, will experience his ultimate defeat at God’s grand triumph.
The above approach may not answer all questions, but it provides a plausible explanation of the imagery involved with respect to Satan’s being imprisoned and then released while yet chained or bound. Satan was indeed “bound” at Christ’s first coming and he is already depicted in the initial verses of Revelation 20 as a defeated prisoner of war. His intended attack against the “camp of the saints” upon his release may reflect what had been described earlier in Revelation after he had fallen from heaven and sought out to destroy the church (Revelation 12:7-17). He failed then…he fails again. Revelation 20:7-10 may very well offer God’s triumphal reenactment of Satan’s previous failed campaign.
The (Not Just “A”) Final Battle
The great final battle is anticipated in Revelation 16:12-16 and described in Revelation 19:11-21 and Revelation 20:7-10. The end-times battle awaited at Revelation 16:12-16 involving the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet seems to be broken down in later chapters. The encounter against Christ and his heavenly forces involves the beast, the false prophet, and their armies (Revelation 19:19-21), while Satan’s attack after his release from prison will end with fire descending from heaven to destroy his followers (Revelation 20:7-9). The first encounter described ends with the beast and the false prophet being cast into the lake of fire while the second encounter depicts the devil himself cast into that lake. Are these climactic engagements separated by a thousand years, or are they two descriptions of the same final encounter? I am convinced that the latter is the case, a view that the following argument supports.
Some interpreters have noted that in these three passages above the Greek word for “battle” or “war” (polemos) has the Greek article (thus ho polemos). Generally in English translations, this occurrence will be represented by the English definite article “the.” Christ’s enemies are assembled “for the battle of the great day of God the Almighty” (Revelation 16:14); the beast and his forces are gathered to engage in “the battle against the One seated upon the white horse” (Revelation 19:19); Satan gathers his followers “for the battle” (Revelation 20:8).
Greek scholars and Bible translators continually wrestle with how best to interpret and translate the Greek article. In many ways its usage parallels that of the definite article in English but in other cases not so much. Here, as with other linguistic issues, translators of the New Testament regularly traverse the poles of literal accuracy and literary nicety.
“The first encounter described ends with the beast and the false prophet being cast into the lake of fire while the second encounter depicts the devil himself cast into that lake.”
Taking care to be linguistically precise and trying to offer a reading that is optimally understandable for a given audience are not always readily compatible tasks. Evaluating translations in regard to such issues becomes complicated. Sometimes what “sounds right” replaces a less polished but more precise translation. And important distinctions are at times lost. That may be the case here.
A number of scholars have suggested that the Greek articles found at Revelation 16:14; 19:19; and 20:8 point to one specific end-times conflict. In contrast, the term polemos without the article (six times in Revelation) regularly points to the ongoing war waged throughout the church age by Satan and the beast against God’s people and not to the “final battle” (Revelation 11:7; 12:7, 17; 13:7; compare 9:7, 9).
If indeed the three articular forms in Revelation point to the same end-times battle, as I believe they do, we find another argument for the view that Revelation 20 involves a recapitulation of the events of Revelation 19 and earlier chapters. Thus the battles summarized in Revelation 19 and 20 (along with that anticipated in Revelation 16) each describe the final conflict that brings us to final judgment and the establishment of the new heavens and new earth.
English translations do not always make this clear regarding these three instances. For example, ESV reads “assemble them for battle” (Revelation 16:14); “gathered to make war” (Revelation 19:19); and “gather them for battle” (Revelation 20:8). None of these readings help the reader to recognize that a specific battle, the same specific battle, is involved in all three passages.
“The battles summarized in Revelation 19 and 20 (along with that anticipated in Revelation 16) each describe the final conflict that brings us to final judgment and the establishment of the new heavens and new earth.”
In contrast, both NAS and NET provide the definite article at Revelation 16:14 and Revelation 20:8, but not at Revelation 19:19. KJV and NIV give us a rendering of the article only at Revelation 16:14. Smoothness of translation is often a consideration, of course, and the insertion of the English definite article may render the wording unwieldy, as it may here, especially at Revelation 19:19.
In this case, however, I believe that correct interpretation and theological uniformity could have been aided by the insertion of the definite article in the appropriate spots above. Such an insertion could have helped clarify that the same singular conflict, the coming battle, is involved in all three relevant texts and that therefore the battle in Revelation 20 is a recapitulation of that in Revelation 19.
[1] Jubilees 48:13-14, 16; Joseph B. Lumpkin, translator, in The Book of Jubilees; The Little Genesis; The Assumption of Moses (2011).
[2] Shane Wood, “An Anti-Imperial Reading of the Release of Satan (Revelation 20:7-10),” in Dragons, John, and Every Grain of Sand: Essays on the Book of Revelation in Honor of Dr. Robert Lowery, Shane J. Wood, ed. (2011), 190.
To check out Dr. Larry Pechawer’s book Unraveling Revelation: Hope, Wisdom, and Mystery in John’s Apocalypse, click HERE.
